Switching Benches problems anyone wanna try to help?

ok well i have a home workout set which is a power rack and weights. I have hit a 260-265 bench at home... well my barbell is severely bent that i use at home and i dont want to drop $100-300 on another one so i decided to stop using my home bench press and just do all my workouts at the gym.. i went from hitting 235 x 2 at my home to hitting 215 x 2 at the gym..

the only differences i can notice are that my bench at home the bench is higher up from the ground to the point where my feet touch perfectly.. the bench at the gym to get in a "powerlifting" form i have to tuck my fee back. at home tucking my feet back doesnt make a big difference at the gym its huge... Also the 2nd thing thats different is at home i can unrack the weight with my elbows fully extended at the gym i cant do that..the 3rd thing is i use a relatively closer grip when i do bench and when i do this at the gym it feels like my ROM is larger. so i had to widen my grip and im also weaker with a wider grip

the only posstive about benching in the gym is that i can really squeeze my shoulder blades together and i can push myself away from the weight like dave tate suggests...

so basically what im asking is advice on this ? anyone had the same situation? I feel like my grip being wider will actually help my shoulder because i felt a pinch when i was benching with the grip i used threwout my life..I also have more control of the weight... but anyone have any ideas what i can do to improve my bench now that im using a wider grip? or any adicve would be great.

It's going to take a couple weeks to find your groove on the new bench, that's all. Your ROM should be the same, unless your arms grew. Are you just using a wider grip so you don't have to push the bar out of the hooks so much? I would stick to your strongest grip and take a lift off on heavy lifts if that's the issue.

Again, alot of this will work itself out after a couple weeks I'm sure. It's good to be able to adjust to different equipment too since a bench at a competition (if that's what your planning) may be a little different than what you're used to also (height-wise that is, they can adjust the hook settings).

It's going to take a couple weeks to find your groove on the new bench, that's all. Your ROM should be the same, unless your arms grew. Are you just using a wider grip so you don't have to push the bar out of the hooks so much? I would stick to your strongest grip and take a lift off on heavy lifts if that's the issue.

Again, alot of this will work itself out after a couple weeks I'm sure. It's good to be able to adjust to different equipment too since a bench at a competition (if that's what your planning) may be a little different than what you're used to also (height-wise that is, they can adjust the hook settings).

I wouldn't worry about it.

damn man u got it... im using the wider grip so i dont have to push it out the hooks as much... but it did shorten the ROM doing a wider grip.. the grip i consder wide is pinky on the ring of the bar... This helped me pause it like you would in a powerlifting comp tho so thats a plus...

but im thinking next workout ill stick with 215 x 3 for 3 and try to do one with my normal grip and one wide grip?? does that sound like it would be good and go with my normal grip first see how i do?

You'll have to get used to the different bench at the gym. What you proposed sounds fine as far as trying the different grips. I wouldn't do really heavy sets with a different grip than you are used to. Do something heavy, but not maximal, to try out the different grips. If 215 fits this definition, then go ahead.

You'll have to get used to the different bench at the gym. What you proposed sounds fine as far as trying the different grips. I wouldn't do really heavy sets with a different grip than you are used to. Do something heavy, but not maximal, to try out the different grips. If 215 fits this definition, then go ahead.

yea at my home bench 215 x 5 would be what i could do..at the gym i can hit it 2-3 but thats my first time doing a ME type workout at the gym on flat bench press.

I think since my bench is so sucky i could work it twice a week Mondays would be singles with my 3 rep max till i can hit 8 singles... then move up in weight... Thursdays i would do Ed Coans routine since it starts week 1 at 10 reps and goes to week 8 using 5 reps i think that would be ok since my bench isnt that great at all. THen when i get into the part where im doing sets of 3 to 1 rep ill drop the singles out my program...

If you're going to do the Coan bench program, just do that. The program builds from lighter weights to heavier weights for a reason. If you're killing yourself in the first few weeks of the program by doing heavy singles on another day, you're going to be screwed when it comes time to hit the heavier weights on the Coan program.
Bench has always been my worst lift, but I've found that doing less heavier work vs. more heavy work is better. I basically tried to do a rep max in the BP every week and my BP stagnated for years. I've had much, much better results working in cycles on the BP and not going heavy all the time.
If you insist on adding another BP day to the Coan program make sure it is something pretty light and not very taxing.

If you're going to do the Coan bench program, just do that. The program builds from lighter weights to heavier weights for a reason. If you're killing yourself in the first few weeks of the program by doing heavy singles on another day, you're going to be screwed when it comes time to hit the heavier weights on the Coan program.
Bench has always been my worst lift, but I've found that doing less heavier work vs. more heavy work is better. I basically tried to do a rep max in the BP every week and my BP stagnated for years. I've had much, much better results working in cycles on the BP and not going heavy all the time.
If you insist on adding another BP day to the Coan program make sure it is something pretty light and not very taxing.

yea i figured tahts good but i hate seeing friends or just guys a the gym benching 2 to 3 times a week and there always repping out 315-405 range. its frustrating lol